Once again I'm going to ask you to support Ovarian Cancer Research. Many of you know about how I've weathered the past three years since my ovarian cancer diagnosis. Right now, I am very gratefully still in remission, and know that this would not be possible without the dedicated researchers and medical providers who have struggled to improve the survival odds of women with ovarian cancer.

For the last three years, I participated in the Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk and 5K Run, which helps to raise money and awareness in our fight against ovarian cancer. Duke is making progress with new and better treatments and continuing their goal of finding an accurate screening test and with your help it will become a reality. In fact, I'm currently on a medication which was approved by the FDA the month before I started taking it. It's in a class of medications that has, only in the last few years, been found to increase survival. This is one of the few advances in ovarian cancer treatment in over 40 years! 

With the pandemic, the Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk and 5k Run again has an option to be virtual this year. We may be socially-distancing, but Ovarian Cancer is not taking a break. Like many fundraising events these past three years, fundraisers are having a much harder time raising the necessary money to continue their important efforts. During these challenging economic times, the need to come together as a community could not be stronger. Any amount, great or small, helps to raise money and awareness in our fight against ovarian cancer.

Why don't you join my team? The more people the merrier, and the better for the Ovarian Cancer Walk. We need people like you on my team. We need your support, so please do anything you can, join my team, register as an individual or make a donation to on my behalf. And if you join my team, you can walk, run, jog, stroll, skip, or simply donate anytime you feel like it between now and September 18th.

But whatever you do, please increase your awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer!

Common Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer does have symptoms, but they are often very subtle and easily mistaken for other, more common problems. In some rare cases, early stage ovarian cancers may produce symptoms, but in the majority of women these don’t show up until the cancer has advanced (when the growth of the tumor triggers symptoms). Several studies show that ovarian cancer can produce these symptoms:

Bloating
Pelvic or abdominal pain
Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

Less Common Symptoms Associated with Ovarian Cancer

Several other symptoms have been commonly reported by women with ovarian cancer. However, these other symptoms are not as useful in identifying ovarian cancer because they are also found in equal frequency in women in the general population who do not have ovarian cancer.

Fatigue
Indigestion
Back pain
Pain with intercourse
Constipation
Menstrual irregularities

Once again, thank you for your generous support!  Together we can make a difference!

Angela Cheney